Apparatus for attenuating fibers



S R E B I F G m H N mm mm m .F s U T A R A P P A Aug 7 W45 Filed March 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Ed Fletcher ATTORNEY Aug, 7, 1945. E. FLETCHER APPARATUS FOR ATTENUATING FIBERS Filed March 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ed Fleciwer ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 7,' 1945 APPARATUS FOR ATTENUATING FIBERS Ed Fletcher, Newark, Ohio, assignor m Owens- Corning Fiber-gins Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application March 14, 1942, Serial No. 434,669

7 Claims.

This invention relates enerally to apparatus for attenuating fibers from streams of glass and similar material and refers more particularly to apparatus having stream-engaging traction means in the form of revolvable coacting toothed or gear-shaped members adapted to intermesh without contacting each other so as to provide a circuitous passage therebetween. This apparatus is more fully disclosed in the Slayter 'Patent No. 2,230,272 of February 4, 1941.

When manufacturing fibers with apparatus of the above general type, a stream of molten glass or other material adapted to harden, as upon cooling, is flowed from a suitable feeding orifice and directed between the toothed members. The latter are initially rotating at a high rate of speed in synchronism but are separated a substantial distance. After the stream has started to flow between them they are moved together into intermeshing relation to apply a traction or pulling force on the stream sufficient to attenuate the latter. While the rate of attenuation in this apparatu's is mainly .dependent upon the speed of the coacting members it also varies with the degree of intermeshing of the members, which latter directly affects the total length of the zigzag path of the stream between the members and, therefore, the length of fiber attenuated by each rotation of the members. Under normal conditions of operation the teeth on the coacting gearshaped members intermesh to a substantial extent so that the streams are attenuated at a relatively high rate of speed.

Although a substantial degree of intermeshing of the coacting teeth on the gear-shapedmemhers is advantageous from a production standpoint, nevertheless, such an arrangement results in such a high rate of fiber attenuation that it is sometimes 'diflicult to start attenuation. It is. therefore, one of the principal objects-of this invention to provide a control for the rate or fiber attenuation which is operable to reduce the traction or pulling force of the toothed members at the time attenuation of the fibers is initiated and to immediately increase the traction or pulling force to the specified rate as soon as attenuation of the fibers has'been properly initiated.

Another object of this invention is to control the rate oi; attenuation of the fibers by varying the extent of intermeshing of the teeth on the coacting toothed shaped members.

At a given temperature of the streams and within certain limits of the size of the orifice from which the stream flows, the diameter of the atattenuation It is desirable in the interest of quality production to regulate the Speed'of attrol fiber size.

tenuated fibers varies inversely with the speed of It is an object of the present invention to provide variations of very small magnitude in the speed of attenuation to thereby assure close control of the operation. It is a further object to efiect this speed variation without stopping or otherwise interfering with the operation of the apparatus.

With the foregoing as well as other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel means for expediently controlling the extent of intermeshing of the teeth on the toothed members and this means, as well as other obiects of the invention, will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of fiber attenuating apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view partly broken away to illustrate the traction members;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 55 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line's-4 of Figure 4.

Upon reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that the reference character i0 designates a feeding apparatus for the material from which the fibers are to be iormed and this apparatus is preferably of the type shown in the Thomas and Fletcher United States Patent No. 2,165,318 Although any material, organic or inorganic, capable of forming fibers is contemplated, nevertheless for the purpose of this description it will be assumed that glass fibers are formed. Accordinghw, the feeder It) contains a supply of molten glass and the latter is adapted to issue in the form of streams l2 from orifices i I formed in the bottom of the feeder i0.

Supported below the feeder I0 is suitable traction means I3 comprising coacting toothed members it and I5. As shown particularly in Figure 4, the toothed members are substantially gear-shaped in cross-section and are provided with a series of teeth or projections l8 which extend outwardly from the periphery thereof.

The gear-shaped members I3 and II are respectively keyed or otherwise secured to suitable shafts I1 and I3 having the opposite ends respectively journaled in the upper ends of suitable bearing arms is and 20. The lower ends of the arms I! and are respectively secured to rock shafts 2| and 22 which have the opposite ends suitably lournaled in the frame or housing 23 of the machine.

The gear-shaped members are driven from a drive shaft 23 journaled on the machine frame 23 and having a gear 25 secured thereto. The gear 25 meshes with a pinion 26 freely rotatably mounted on the rock shaft 22 and connected to a gear 21 for driving the latter. The gear 21 meshes with a similar gear freely rotatably mounted on the rock shaft 2| and both the latter gears respectively mesh with pinions 28 secured to the shafts l1 and IS. The construction is such that the gear-shaped members rotate in opposite directions in synchronism.

The gear-shaped members are normally positioned with respect to each other so that the teeth It intermesh without engaging or touching one another. As a result, a circuitous passage is provided between the coacting toothed members which enables the glass streams issuing from the orifices l to pass between the members without being crushed or squeezed. However, sumcient traction or pulling force is applied to the fibers passing between the toothed the desired rate of attenuapointed out at this members to effect tion of the fibers. It may be time that by controlling the temperature of the glass streams flowing between the gear-shaped members, the latter may be formed into straight or crimped fibers as set forth in the Slayter United States Patent No. 2,230,272.

The rate of attenuation of the fibers is proportional to the extent of intermeshing of the teeth IS on the coacting toothed members. For example, when the toothed members are relatively positioned so that the coacting teeth barely intermesh, for a given speed of the members the rate of attenuation of the fibers is at a minimum and when the'teeth l6 intermesh to their fullest desired extent the rate of attenuation is at a maximum. Although a high rate of attenuation of the fibers is advantageous from a production standpoint, it sometimes interferes with initiation of the attenuating operation and the present invention contemplates control means rendering it possible to reduce the pulling force applied on the fibers during the interval attenuation is initiated.

In accordance with the present invention, the

rate of attenuation or pull of the fibers is con-,

trolled by varying the extent of intermeshing of the coasting toothed members It and I5. With the above in view, reference is made to Figure 5 wherein it will be noted that a gear 29 is secured to the rock shaft 2| and meshes with a corresponding gear'3ll which is secured to the rock shaft 22. The arrangement is such that the two shafts 2i and 22 rock in opposite directions in synehronism to effect a corresponding rocking movement of the arms I3 wand 23 toward and away from each other. Inasmuch as the coacting toothed members It and Ii are respectively carried by the upper ends of the arms I! and 20, it follows thatthesetoothed members are also movable toward and away from each other to respectively increase and decrease the degree of intermeshins of the teeth I! on the members.

tion of the arrow B tive to the abutments. The allowable swinging movement of the lever 3| is predetermined to enable the extent of lntermeshing of the toothed members required to vary the rate of attenuation between the desired limits.

Upon reference to Figure 2, it will be noted that the lever 3| is adjusted relative to the abutments 32 by means of a screw 33 having the opposite end portions journaled in the abutments 32 and having the intermediate portion threaded in 9, lug 34 carried by the lower end of the lever 3|. In the present instance the lug" is provided with a shank 35 which extends through an opening 36 in' the lowerend of the lever 3| and this opening is elongated to compensate for the angular travel of the lever 3|. A suitable thumb engaging knob 31 is pinned or otherwise secured to one end of the screw 33 to enable the latterto be rotated to effect a micrometer adjustment of the lever 3| relative to the abutments 32. g B

It follows from the foregoing that rotation of the screw 33 in one direction imparts a swinging movement to the lever 3| in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 4.. Movement of the lever 3| in the direction of the arrow A imparts a rocking movement to the shaft 22 in a corresponding direction and the latter shaft imparts a rocking movement to the shaft 2| in the opposite direction. As a 'result, the coasting toothed members It and I3 are'moved away from each other to decrease the extent of intermeshing ofthe teeth It and thereby reduce the rate of at-' provides for swingand I3 into'and out of operative relationship. In de-.

tail, the above is accomplished by a second lever 33 having the upper end rotatably supported on the rock shaft 22 in juxtaposition to the lever 3| and carrying intermediate its ends the two abutments :2. The construction is such that when the lever 33 is swung in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 4 the lever- 38 and swings the coasting toothed members It and I! out of operative relationship. It follows, of course, that swinging movement of the lever 33 in the other direction, in the direcin Figure 4, moves the lever 3| in the same direction and swings the coacting toothed members H and II toward each other. The lever 33 is manipulated for moving the members It and I rapidly into and 'out of mesh and engagement with the stream when it is desired to start or stop attenuation.

Provision is made herein for lockingthe lever 33 in a normal position wherein the coasting toothed'members ll and I3 intermesh with one 7 another to 'predetermined extent. when the lever 33 is in its'normal location, the coacting toothed members. are relatively positioned to lever' 3| is carried with the aseopia v the lever 38, and this rate may be increased or decreased by manipulating the screw 33 to adjust the lever 3| relative to the lever 38. Usually the rate of attenuation is lower than desired as 1 the operation is initiated, that is, when the coacting gears are moved into mesh, and the rate is increased by adjusting the lever 3| after the 4 operation has started.

'With the above in view, reference is made to Figure fi'wherein it will be noted that the lower end of the lever 38 carries a spring pressed detent or plunger 38 slidable in a bore in a handle 88 and adapted to engage in a notch 41.. The notch I is formed in a part 42 which is se-, cured to the side of the machine frame adjacent the lower end of the lever 38 and which is so positioned that when the detent 39 engages the notch, the coacting toothed members I4 and ii are positioned in mesh to a preselected extent. The detent 39 is urged into engagement with the notch by a spring 43 and is retracted from the notch against the action of the spring by a lever 44. The upper end of the lever is pivoted to the lever 33 for swinging movement in the direction of sliding movement of the detent 39 and the lever has articulation with the detent by means of a pin l5 fixed in the detent. The pin extends through a vertically elongated slot 46 in the lever to compensat for the angular movement of the lever and also extends through horizontally elongated slots 41 in the walls of the bore in the handle to enable sliding movement of the detent relative to the handle. The construction is such that upward movement of the lever 44 about its pivot, upon grasping of the handle 40 and the lever 44, retracts the detent 39 from the notch H and enables the lever 38 to be swung to a position wherein the coacting toothed members are out of operative relationship.

Operation When it is desired to initiate attenuation of the streams flowing from the orifices in the feeder ID, the lever 38 is swung to a position wherein the detent 33 engages in the notch ll. Prior to this operation the lever 3| may be adjusted so that when the lever 38 is positioned by the detent 39, the coacting toothed members engage the streams between them but intermesh less than the desired extent. In other words, during this initial relation the coacting toothed members I4 and I5 are relatively positioned to attenuate the streams at a. reduced rate.

As soon as attenuation of the streams is started, the lever 3| may be adjusted by manipulating the screw 33 to swing the toothed members toward each other'and increase the extent of intermeshing of the teeth I6. As a result, the rate of attenuation of the streams is correspondingly increased and continued attenuation is effected at a relatively high rate of speed. Attention is again called to the fact that the adjustment of the lever 3| is of a micrometer character and this is desirous in that it enables accurately controlling the rate of attenuation to thereby insure the best results under widely varying conditions.

It is also pointed out that the above adjustment is particularly desirable since the diameter of the fibers may be accurately regulated by effecting small variations in the rate of attenuation.

Various modifications and variations may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for attenuating fibers comprising a pair of rock shafts supported in lateral spaced relationship, coacting revolvabl toothed members arranged in intermeshing rel tionship and respectively connected to the rock shafts for swinging movement about the respective axes of the rock shafts upon rocking movement of the latter, means for flowing a'stream of thermoplastic material between the toothed members in such a manner that the coacting teeth on said members exert a pulling force on the stream passing between the members, means for rocking said shafts in opposite directions to selectively move the toothed members toward and away from each other, said means including a from each other upon rocking movement of the shafts in opposite directions, means for flowing a stream of glass between the toothed members in such a manner that the coacting teeth on the said members exert a pulling force on the stream of glass, and means for moving the toothed members toward and away from each other to control the rate of attenuation of the stream, .said

last named means including a lever having one end fixed to one of the rock shafts, a member adjustably positioned on said housing structure,

- and a screw connection between said lever and said member providing a micrometer adjustment of said lever.

3. Apparatus for attenuating fibers comprising a pair of rock shafts supported in lateral spaced relationshipand operatively connected together for synchronized movement in opposite directions, bearing arms respectively secured to the rock shafts and extending outwardly from said rock shafts, coacting toothed members respectively journaled in the outer end portions of the arms on said rock shafts for rotation and arranged in intermeshing relationship, means for flowing a stream of glass between the toothed members in such-a manner that the coacting teeth on the members exert a pulling force on the stream of glass as it passes between said members, means for adjusting the relative positions of the toothed members to vary the rate of attenuation of the stream of glass, said adjustable means comprising a lever secured at one end to one of the rock shafts and having the opposite end projecting between abutments spaced laterally from each other a. sumcient distance to enable'restricted swinging movement of the lever, and means accessible for convenient manipulation for adjusting the lever relative to the abutments.

4. Apparatus for attenuating fibers comprising a pair of rock shafts supported in lateral spaced relationship and connected together for synchronized rocking movement in opposite directions, coacting revolvable toothedmembers arranged in intermeshing relationship and respectively carried by the rock shafts for swinging movement toward and away from each other upon rocking movement of said shafts in opposite directions, means for flowing a stream of glass between the toothed members in such a manner that the coacting teeth on said members exert a pulling force on the stream of glass as it passes between the members, means for adjusting the relative positions of the toothed members to vary the rate of attenuation of the stream of glass, said last named means including a lever having the inner end fixed to one of the rock shafts and having the outer end extending between abutments spaced from each other sufliciently to enable limited swinging movement of the outer end of the lever relative thereto, a lug mounted on the outer end of the lever for sliding movement in the direction of the length of the lever and having a threaded opening therethrough and an adjusting screw journaled in the abutments and threaded in the opening in said lug.

5. Apparatus for attenuating fibers comprising a pair of rock shafts supported in lateral spaced parallel relationship and connected together for synchronized rocking movement in opposite directions, coacting revolvable toothed members arranged in intermeshing relationship and respectively carried by the rock shafts for swinging movement about the respective axes of the rock shafts toward and away from each other upon rocking movement of the shafts in opposite directions, means for flowing a stream of glass between the toothed members in such a manner that the coacting teeth on the members exert a pulling force on the stream of glass as it passes between said members, means for adjusting the relative positions of the toothed members to vary the rate of attenuation of the stream of glass by said members, said last named means comprising a lever having one end fixed to one of the rock shafts and having the opposite end projecting between a pair of abutments spaced laterally from each other a suflicient distance to enable limited swinging movement of the lever relative thereto, means carried by the abut- -ments for adjusting the lever relative to said abutments, and means for swinging the abutments and lever as a unit in opposite directions to move the coacting toothed members into and out of operative relationship.

i 6. Apparatus for attenuating fibers comprising a pair of rock shafts supported in lateral spaced relationship and connected together for synchronized movement in opposite directions, bearing arms respectively secured to the rock-shafts and extending radially outwardly from the rock shafts, coacting toothed members respectively journaled in the outer end portions of the arms on said rock shafts for rotation and arranged in intermeshing relationship, means for flowing a stream of glass between the toothed members in such a manner that the coacting teeth on the members exert a pulling force on the stream of glass, a lever having one end journaled on one of the rock shafts and having laterally spaced abutments intermediate the ends thereof, a second lever having one end secured to the said one rock shaft and having the opposite end projecting between the abutments to coact with the latter to move the toothed members into and out of operative relationship upon swinging the first lever in opposite directions, and means for adjusting the second lever relative to the first lever to vary the degree of intermeshing of the toothed members and to thereby vary the rate of attenuation of the stream of glass by the toothed members.

7. Apparatus for attenuating fibers comprising a pair of coacting revolvable toothed members arranged in intermeshing relationship and respectively journaled in movable bearings, whereby the members may be moved toward and away from each other, means for flowing a, stream of glass between the toothed members in such a manner that the coacting teeth on said members exert a pulling force on the stream of glass, a lever havingone end connected with said bearings to cause movement of said toothed members upon swinging movement of said lever, a second lever mounted for movement relative to said first lever and adjustably connected thereto for movement therewith, means normally locating the second lever in a position wherein the coacting toothed members are in operative relationship, and means for adjusting the first lever relative to the second lever to vary the extent of intermeshing of the coacting toothed members and. thereby vary the rate of attenuation of the stream of glass by said toothed members.

ED FLETCHER. 

